The Cavendish experiment, conducted by British scientist Henry Cavendish in 1798, was designed to measure the force of gravitational attraction between masses. Using a torsion balance, Cavendish suspended a horizontal bar with lead spheres at each end, observing the tiny movements caused by the gravitational pull of nearby larger lead spheres. This allowed him to calculate the density of the Earth. Cavendish's work was groundbreaking as it provided the first accurate measurement of the gravitational constant, which is essential for understanding gravity. His experiment laid the foundation for modern gravitational studies and helped confirm Isaac Newton's law of universal gravitation.